SEPTEMBEH L'x, ISIS. 



The Weekly Florists' Review. 



441 



Arriving in London, the first place 

 to visit the next morning was Covent 

 Garden. For this reason we got up 

 early (for if anyone wishes to see this 

 market ha must get out with the lark 

 in the morning, especially if he wishes 

 to see its workings). Arriving there, 

 we entered by that part occupied by 

 the plant growers, and having an in- 

 troduction to one of the growers (the 

 father of one of my men) I inquired 

 for him, received a very hearty recep- 

 tion and was shown every kindness 

 and attention. The first thing that 

 struck me as of value to remember 

 was the good feeling which existed 

 among the growers. Everything was 

 bustle and hurry, yet no crowding one 

 another in unduly underselling. Each 

 man knew the value, the market value 

 of his goods, and asked and received 

 it. Each man was also willing to help 

 his neighbor, as if he knew that some 

 time he himself might require help, 

 and expect to get it. This is nothing 

 but what it should be among men of 

 the same calling, and the more we at- 

 tend to this the better for all con- 

 cerned. 



Let me give you an example. I de- 

 sired to go to another part of the mar- 

 ket on one occasion, and asked my 

 friend how I might find it, when at 

 once he offered to show me the way. 

 Turning to his neighbor, he said: "I 

 say, look after my stock until I return. 

 Sell this lot at one shilling each and 

 this lot at one and sixpence," and, 

 taking my arm, he guided me to the 

 place to which I wanted to go. Take 

 this lesson, help your neighbor, he 

 may help you. 



The next thing which interested me 

 was a classification of plants and sizes. 

 This I consider a step in the right di- 

 rection. All plants put into their 

 proper size and sold accordingly. This 

 was carried to a still greater degree 

 in commercial greenhouses. All plants 

 have to come to a certain standard 

 before being sold, and if you wish to 

 buy any quantity under the standard 

 you would be told they were not for 

 sale. This is what I consider bringing 

 the trade up to a higher standard, for 

 there are more men who will sell any- 

 thing, at any price, whether it pays for 

 the growing or not. 



The cut flower department has to be 

 seen to be understood, especially the 

 quantity sold in such a short time, for 

 you must remember that the gates are 

 closed sharp at nine o'clock. This law 

 is enforced to give outside dealers a 

 chance to sell the stuff which was 

 bought early in the morning. 



The roses sold at the time were al- 

 most all hybrids. Short-stemmed but 

 magnificent flowers with perfume 

 which can only be found in an Eng- 

 lish rose. In making up they use a 

 long straw, placing three straws to 

 each rose, fastening them on with fine 

 No. 29 wire. In the make up of flow- 

 ers, two stores in London and one in 

 Paris show some very fine pieces and 

 certainly were a credit to the artist 

 who made them. They were light, 

 graceful, and everything about them 



in keeping. Not the heavy, crammed 

 work generally seen, for each of these 

 flowers stood independent of the one 

 next to it, and yet in keeping with it 

 to such an extent that it became the 

 very embodiment of grace and beauty. 

 In all the finest work a great amount 

 of ferns is used, also leaves of differ- 

 ent plants, such as crotons. Rex be- 

 gonias, etc., etc. The effect is very 

 pleasing. 



Bouquet making in the stores men- 

 tioned was of the same high order, 

 made up in every style and at a great 

 variety of prices. Ribbon enters large- 

 ly into the finish of fine bouquets. 



One thing I was very much struck 

 with in these stores was that all work 

 seen was for sale; that is to say, they 

 were not ordered before being made. 

 I do not know how it is in other parts 

 of Canada, but in Montreal work is 

 not made unless ordered; but over 

 there they start in the morning, as 

 soon as the flowers come in, and make 

 up as many set pieces as they expect 

 to sell that day. So that, when you 

 enter one of these stores, you can 

 choose what you like. The prices 

 range about the same as with us, so 

 that florists on the other side have a 

 much higher profit for their work, 

 flowers and labor being cheaper. 



Two days after going through Co- 

 vent Garden we went to visit what 

 may be considered one of the largest, 

 if not the largest, places on the other 

 side. The Roch fords, at Broxborne. 

 Here they have one hundred and fifty 

 houses, all of them in the highest pos- 

 sible condition. They use in one year 

 9,000 tons of coke, price from 10 to 15 

 shillings per ton, besides a large quan- 

 tity of coal in the colder weather. This 

 village of greenhouses is heated entire- 

 ly by hot water. The largest part of 

 the stock grown here is palms, all 

 found in the highest state of cultiva- 

 tion, ferns, crotons, dracaenas, bego- 

 nias, etc., etc. It was here I first came 

 across Begonia Gloire de Lorraine, 

 over a thousand plants. Ferns were 

 also grown in very large quantities. I 

 also noticed that here, as in all first- 

 class establishments, all the palms are 

 plunged to the rim of the pot in some 

 loose material on the benches. This 

 is to save watering, which is a great 

 saving in labor. All watering is done 

 with the watering can. Only in one 

 place in ■Belgium did I see a hose used. 

 I consider this an improvement in 

 many respects to our placing a hose 

 in a man's hands without his having 

 sufficient knowledge, or interest in his 

 work. There is more harm done and 

 more plants destroyed by slushing 

 water from the hose by some men 

 than anything that I know of. 



A little further down the road is an- 

 other very large establishment, be- 

 longing to Joseph Rochford. Thirty 

 acres of glass, where they grow ably 

 tomatoes, cucumbers, grapes and 

 ferns; everything in apple pie order. 

 They employ 160 men. The houses 

 here are older than at Thomas Roch- 

 ford's, but all doing good work. The 

 same system of heating, hot water. 



The ferns here were the finest lot of 

 plants that I ever came across. Here 

 the grading system into standard sizes 

 was carried out to perfection. They 

 refused to sell any plant until it grew 

 to required dimension. I wished to 

 buy some of their tomato seed, but 

 could not; was told that they make 

 and keep up a certain standard of 

 seed, which they will not sell or give 

 away. A lesson much needed in most 

 quarters. Would it not be wise to fol- 

 low this example in keeping our stock 

 up as near to perfection as possible? 

 It can only be done by great care and 

 attention. 



After seeing all we could find time 

 for in and about London we went 

 through the Garden of England, Kent. 

 Visited several places there, but what 

 astonished us most was the quantity 

 of fruit growing. Miles of strawberry 

 fields on each side of the road, and 

 upon every road we traveled in Kent, 

 all for London. We talk about loads 

 of fruit, but I am satisfied that no- 

 where can any be found to compare 

 with that coming into the London 

 market. The fruit is gathered by 

 bands of berry pickers, most of whom 

 live in large covered wagons, such as 

 gypsies live in; others in tents along- 

 side the fields. The delicious straw- 

 berries were not as palatable after 

 seeing those who picked them. These 

 pickers are paid by what they gather, 

 managers or overseers receiving the 

 berries when picked, see that they are 

 picked properly. They are packed in 

 round willow baskets holding about 

 half a bushel, then placed into great 

 two-horse wagons, piled to a perfect 

 pyramid, one above another. The 

 wagon starts in the afternoon or even- 

 ing and travels all night, reaching 

 London early in the morning for mar- 

 ket. 



We will now start for France. Did 

 any of you ever cross the English 

 channel from Dover on a windy day? 

 If not, pray that when you go it may 

 be calm for a week before you start, 

 and when you go make sure that you 

 take only one lady in charge. I had 

 two and I must confess it was more 

 than I bargained for. 



In Paris we went to the principal 

 florists' stores. Only one of them had 

 any work any better than we gener- 

 ally see in our own cities, but not any 

 better than we had already seen in 

 London. We also visited the great 

 seed stores, including that of Vilmo- 

 rin, Andrieux & Co., the head of which 

 passed away on the 20th of July. We 

 also visited some of the growers, "spe- 

 cialists," looking for something rare 

 in plants. The public gardens are very 

 fine and very large, and magnificently 

 kept. 



From Paris we went down to Bel- 

 gium. I have not said much about 

 France because I wish to take you to 

 Belgium and Holland if you can stand 

 it. Belgium is without doubt the great 

 center » for horticulturists to visit. 

 Growing plants is one of the principal 

 industries of the country. I wish I 

 could give you a better description of 



